It’s our favorite time of year again — Thanksgiving! Bring on the turkey, football, and at least here in New York, the big balloons. This year we had some of our data crunchers decipher the best places in the country to celebrate Thanksgiving. Our methodology included the following:

Proximity to airport: Many people fly over Thanksgiving (about 25.3 million this year, according to estimates), and a destination close to a large airport makes for an easier commute. All locations are under 15 miles from a major airport.

Grocery Stores: Preparing a big Thanksgiving meal can include multiple trips to the local grocery store, so we looked not only at the number of grocery stores per city, but the number people per grocery store.

Crime: We wanted to look at cities that were relatively safe, so when inviting family and friends to gather, you can enjoy a visit that has less of a chance of criminal activity.

We also limited our cities to those with over 100,000 people and cities where the weather is expected to be above freezing which we thought would lessen the chance of flight delays and make for a more comfortable game of touch football.

Oakland, the sixth largest city in California, is a great place to spend Thanksgiving. After your meal, head over to Lake Merritt where you can try to spot the “Oak-ness Monster” a sea creature that’s been a legend in Oakland since the 1940’s.

Philly is known for many things, from the Liberty Bell to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But perhaps most famously, it’s known for its cuisine. You may want to save room for a cheesesteak after your Thanksgiving meal.

Lafayette is located in the Cajun Heartland and is the unofficial Cajun capital of the south. If you like your turkey with a little Cajun spice, this may be the perfect Thanksgiving destination for you.

Elizabeth was New Jersey’s first capital and is now a regional hub for the east coast. With its proximity to major highways, airports, and some of the largest cities in the country, Elizabeth is a very convenient destination for a large get-together like Thanksgiving.